Marvel's 'Loki' Early Buzz: Tom Hiddleston And Owen Wilson Shine In This Time-Hopping Crime Procedural

Marvel's Loki is arriving on Disney+ this week, bringing back Tom Hiddleston as The Avengers villain after he made his escape through time during the events of Avengers: Endgame. So how does the God of Mischief manage when he ventures out on his own? If the early buzz from critics who have seen the first two episodes of the series is any indicator, this could be the most satisfying, funny, nerdy, and entertaining Marvel Studios TV series yet.

We'll kick things off with a reaction from yours truly here at /Film, and I'm enjoying the hell out of this show so far:

In #Loki, Owen Wilson makes for a wry foil to the God of Mischief as a time cop, chipping away at the layers of the Marvel villain while using him to track down a mysterious time-hopping criminal.

— Ethan Anderton (@Ethan_Anderton) June 6, 2021

There's a lot of exposition in #Loki, clearly a set-up for what's to come in DOCTOR STRANGE AND THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, but I'm digging every minute of it.

— Ethan Anderton (@Ethan_Anderton) June 6, 2021

Let's see what some of the other critics have to say, starting with our old pal Germain Lussier:

The first 2 eps of #Loki are catnip for Marvel fans. Dense on world-building, callbacks & mystery. Hiddleston is on fire. The new characters rule & there's A TON to unpack & unravel.

It's a little light on action (so far) but I didn't care. I fell hard for this new Marvel world. pic.twitter.com/nVR9MQgn7W

— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) June 6, 2021

#Loki is super fun, hugely entertaining & wickedly inspired. Love its BRAZIL-esque, absurdist slant. A perfectly pitched, mischievously clever series. Tom Hiddleston is crackling. Owen Wilson is a great straight-man to the antics. Wunmi Mosaku continues to be a star standout. pic.twitter.com/TaRwjj4RkH

— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) June 6, 2021

I've watched the first 2 episodes of Marvel's #Loki and am locked in. The first is setup but together with ep.2, the show brings a little Rick and Morty style (and a new layer) to the MCU. Tom Hiddleston meets his match on screen with Owen Wilson's Mobius... (1/2) pic.twitter.com/PJzFoz0c4l

— Rob Keyes (@rob_keyes) June 6, 2021

I'll add that the way Owen Wilson's Mobius deals with Loki is hilarious. The show is heavy on dialogue and intimate scenery and that works so well for this. It's like X-Files for those two.

— Rob Keyes (@rob_keyes) June 6, 2021

A big ol' YAY for the Beetlejuice vibes of the TVA! After two episodes, #Loki looks like it's VERY much my thing. Fascinated by the TVA and the timeline rules I'll no doubt obsess over. And love how the story is challenging Loki to assess/reassess his actions. pic.twitter.com/raD9QC78O1

— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) June 6, 2021

I've seen the first 2 episodes of #Loki & I'm LOVING it so far. It's a time-traveling detective show that's laying groundwork for the MCU multiverse while also being about identity & confronting ugly truths about ourselves. The Tom Hiddleston/Owen Wilson bromance is my favorite pic.twitter.com/w9yLLHGEHJ

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) June 6, 2021

Also #Loki shows again why you should just cast Wunmi Mosaku in everything.

— Joel Meares (@joelmeares) June 6, 2021

#Loki has hands down my favorite first TV episode for Marvel Studios yet.

Tom Hiddleston is just too good in the role, picking up 2012's Loki instantly. He's brilliant.

Early exposition comes with awesome details for MCU fans. I really like the start. Lots of potential here! pic.twitter.com/wY6HiYzGHC

— Brandon Davis (@BrandonDavisBD) June 6, 2021

Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson are glorious together.

Hiddleston brings every bit of cunning charm back to Loki.

Wilson is surprisingly delightful in the MCU. That classic soft confidence makes his Mobius a blast to watch.

These two together are just great. #Loki pic.twitter.com/XwXbuW4nam

— Brandon Davis (@BrandonDavisBD) June 6, 2021

WOW! #LOKI may just be the BEST series of the #MCU so far. With a charismatic performance from Tom Hiddleston, remarkably clever writing, and stunning visual craftsmanship brought together by sharp direction, it results in Marvel's most ambitious project yet! A MUST WATCH! pic.twitter.com/tcQsEYbKXJ

— Diego Andaluz (@thediegoandaluz) June 6, 2021

I've seen the first two episodes of #Loki and it's as fun, funny, odd and twisted as I'd hope and expect from the God of Mischief! Love the snarky bromance between #TomHiddleston and #OwenWilson. More of everything please!!! pic.twitter.com/d9WZaLtE4n

— Christina Radish (@ChristinaRadish) June 6, 2021

Was hoping #Loki would be the best MCU series and the first 2 eps. put it on that track.

Sharp dialogue, sneaky emotional plot points, great range from Hiddleston, awesome score, definite crime thriller vibe. It's a crash course in multiverse rules.

And Owen Wilson is perfect. pic.twitter.com/OXHsIHdmtr

— Eric Italiano (@eric_ital) June 6, 2021

I don't really know where to start praising #Loki, so I'll just say it's IMO the strongest opening for a Disney+ show to date, the writing and directing are on another level. Shoutout to @iamkateherron, @michaelwaldron and @twhiddleston for continuing to push the bar in the MCU. pic.twitter.com/i55dVQKng2

— Jack McBryan (@McBDirect) June 6, 2021

The first two episodes of #Loki are very cool. I love the retro-future look and they do a strong job of getting into who Loki is and his frequent heel/face turns. His history within the MCU is important even as the show also lets him bounce of a fun new group of characters.

— Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) June 6, 2021

I think @ScottPorch may have said it best when he described to me as having Good Place meets Men in Black vibes. Owen Wilson is absolutely perfect in his role and the show delivers the best packaged exposition of the MCU Disney+ empire.

— Brandon Katz (@Great_Katzby) June 6, 2021

I got a chance to see the first two episodes of #Loki and I loved it! Weird, and playful, but also surprisingly dark and heartfelt. The fantastic world-building with the TVA lands fully-formed, and Tom Hiddleston gets to dig deeper on one of the MCU's most interesting characters. pic.twitter.com/c2oDKZfAmt

— Jeff Zhang 张佶润 (@strangeharbors) June 6, 2021

#Loki has kind of a Mindhunters mixed w/ Men in Black vibe. It's like a buddy cop story w/ humor, mystery & intrigue. The 1st ep is solid but the 2nd is REALLY good. I'm hooked & NEED to see more! Can't wait for #LokiWednesdays! @LokiOfficial @MarvelStudios #Marvel pic.twitter.com/wTXTtp8zP1

— POC Culture (@POCculture) June 6, 2021

#Loki is clever, funny, weird and just comfortable? Can't explain it but you'll feel right at home watching it. You'll laugh, you'll theorize and you'll crave the next episode. You'll look for Easter eggs (and find them). (2/7)

— Herb Scribner (@HerbScribner) June 6, 2021

#LOKI is unpredictable in ways that I feel were lacking in Disney+'s other MCU shows. It doesn't waste time dragging out big reveals, leaving plenty of room for more and making it nearly impossible to telegraph what's coming next. We're all just along for the wild, glorious ride.

— Julia Delbel (@juliadelbel) June 6, 2021

Got to see the first 2 episodes of #Loki and it's really promising so far...

An okay but clunky premiere followed by a fantastic second episode, a intriguing crime thriller but also a series that excellently delves into Loki's psyche.

Full review from @AKARELK on Tuesday! pic.twitter.com/S0pZcyojMI

— Jacob (@JacobFisherDF) June 6, 2021

Watched the first 2 eps of #Loki and it is part Back To The Future, Inception, WandaVision, Dr Strange w a massive dollop of #TomHiddleston mercurial charm. He's a fish out of water here & just when you think...he winks. He's finally facing 'himselves'. Pure thespian pleasure pic.twitter.com/VXgxuvdBto

— Nikki Novak (@NikkiNovak) June 6, 2021

However, not everyone is over the moon for Loki. There's a little bit of dissension among the early reactions:

Watched two episodes of LOKI. Not sure I'm totally down with the whole MCU multiverse thing, but that's where we are. LOKI, so far, kind of serves as an instruction manual about how it all works, starring Loki. (Owen Wilson as a desk jockey time cop lifer is inspired casting.)

— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) June 6, 2021

All-in-all, it seems like Loki is a hit with this first wave of reactions. General audiences might be tested by all the exposition that's required to explain the existence of the Time Variance Authority and how "The Sacred Timeline" works. But Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson as a time-hopping detective duo make the show thoroughly entertaining. There will be a lot to unpack in the six episodes of this series, but if the rest of the show can deliver more like this while also ramping up the stakes, then it's going to be something special.

Here's the official synopsis for Loki:

Watch Loki—the imperious God of Mischief—who, after absconding with the Tesseract, is a fish-out-of-water when he lands in a world of trouble with the bureaucratic TVA (Time Variance Authority) in the brand-new trailer for Marvel Studios' "Loki."

Loki premieres on Disney+ starting on June 9, 2021 with new episodes following each Wednesday.